Unfading Scars
by Sally B. Mcgill
Summary: My take on the Wanted Series, including spoilers from Stuck Together, Off Color and Lars' Head, mostly. This will be Steven's thoughts about what he went through and how he felt about dragging Lars into it. Purely friendship, no slash. Chapter 6: The Cool Kids go to visit Lars, and learn a lot about what he's become and who he is now. And also meet the Off Colors.
1. Chapter 1

Unfading Scars

 **A/N: Okay, this is my first Steven Universe fanfiction, so please try not to judge me too harshly. Now, concerning the Wanted series, loved it! It was beautiful, seeing Homeworld and allowing Steven and Lars relationship to develop and become stronger, as well as finally explaining what happened to Lion. And what does everyone think about Zircon's inquiries? Does this mean Rose Quartz didn't kill Pink Diamond? And if she didn't, who actually committed the murder? Those off colors were hilarious and I can't wait to see what will happen, whether the five of them will get to earth without any trouble and how will Lars' life change now that he's matured and become some kinda gem-human. Only time can tell, so enjoy this little emotional view point I wrote.**

 **Disclaimer: Don't own Steven Universe or any of the characters mentioned.**

...

Steven knew when he gave himself, it wasn't going to be a walk in the park. From the reactions of Jasper, Eyeball and other Homeworld Gems, he knew that this wouldn't end with a flick to his hand and then all was done with. No, the Diamonds would want him to suffer, and most likely call for his death. Or more accurately, his gemstone to be shattered. Bu all accounts, giving himself up like this was foolish and beyond stupid.

But when he saw how he'd singlehandedly put his closest human friends in danger by his eagerness and unthinking, how their lives and freedom were at great risk, he couldn't make any other choice. It was him or them, at this point, and like his mom had before him, he would always do what was best for the earth and its inhabitants.

Of course, he hadn't counted on one of his friends still being on the ship after he the deal to give himself up for them. He almost burst into tears right then and there when Topaz brought his red-haired male best friend up the stairs. However, it was quickly replaced with righteous indignation at Aquamarine's mocking and unfair attitude. To think he wanted to help this gem a few days ago when she was looking for "my dad"!

Then, after a desperate and very ill-thought plan, he finally saw what lied beneath Lars' need to be cool and his general dismissal of his close friends. Lars was afraid to put himself out there, not only for people he cared about, like Sadie, but his own self too. And then he'd made the extremely erroneous statement that he, the half-human gem, wasn't scared of anything. Then everything came pouring out.

How scared he was of taking the blame and retribution of his mom's horrible action of shattering Pink Diamond. The way he couldn't hope to get not only himself, but Lars out of this situation, and how he was even to blame for the Diamonds' desire to have these five humans. And finally, how shamefully glad he was that Lars was with him, how happy he was to have someone else with him, despite the danger they were both in. But Lars, in his typical peculiar attitude, helped him see the reality of this scenario and comforted him with the reminder that they had each other at least, no matter how "everything sucked".

Topaz, who had been listening to their conversations, had been so moved as she could relate to the two friends relationship. She had been willing to help them escape, but they had been caught by Aquamarine. A few effective threats later, and they were back where they started, facing an unknown, danger situation with no hope they'd walk away from it unscathed. He could still hear the tone of Lars' voice as they went to separate rooms, the fear for himself and Steven clear as the door closed behind him.

And then that disaster of a trial took place. Steven had never dreamed he would would have his mom's decisions ridiculed, that Lars would be shown off like an object rather than a person or that he'd be required to explain how he carried out the deed of killing Pink Diamond to the obviously still-grieving Blue Diamond, who insisted he tell her of what happened that day over six thousand years ago. Yellow Diamond had seemed more than ready to get this over with, eager to shatter him and be done with this whole thing. Then, in the wake of Blue Diamond's breakdown, the blue Zircon had been fuming, forcing Steven to reveal he didn't actually know what had happened.

When the recess was over, he was more than a little surprised by Zircon's argument, the way she brought all these valid points and unanswered questions. How is it, when Rose Quartz was a known enemy, was she able to get close enough to commit the crime? And if she had her entourage and Pearl with her, why couldn't they stop, or at least warn the diamond of his mom's attack? Then, when Zircon made the proclamation that it would have to have been done by someone with the trust of Pink Diamond, the strength to carry out said action, and then the resources needed to cover it up and blame a hated enemy. A power that, apparently, only a Diamond had.

After said accusation, Yellow Diamond had gone berserk, destroying the blue and yellow Zircon, then arguing with Blue about his fate. Thinking quickly, he and Lars had hightailed it out of there with Blue Diamond's palanquin, with Yellow Diamond's ominous words echoing through his head and he and Lars fell down to a massive area of ruins and rocks.

While running from more freaky gem technology that could detect and shoot at his gem, Lars had once again revealed his fear of the world around him, his inability to take risk or do anything for anyone else. But, just as they were about to get caught, they were saved! By a red two-headed gem who lead them to a group of "off colors" in a Homeworld version of the Kindergarten, people the Diamonds and the general gem society tossed to the side because they weren't right or they didn't belong. He couldn't imagine the pain of being rejected by your own species, or how fearful the four of them were of potentially being caught and shattered.

Then they were discovered by another fleet of gem-targeting bots and they had hightailed it out of there, hiding in any available places and struggling to evade the robots' beam. Lars had looked prepared to faint, the fear emitting from him quite potent and very much real. Doing their signature heart touch, he'd reassured the teenager that it was okay to be afraid, reminding him of not only their talk on the ship, but also comforting him with the knowledge that he, Steven, was here and they'd get through this experience together.

Then, with new resolve in his eyes, Lars and himself worked to protect the gems, fighting the bots and, in Lars' case, blocking the robots' line of vision so the gems would be protected. And then, things had gone so downhill, they were well within the ocean.

Steven stood over Lars' unmoving body, dread feeling his veins. The bomb had exploded and the redhead had been thrown quite harshly into a huge rock. He wasn't walking up, no matter how much Steven called to him. Unwilling to accept what was right in front of him, Steven pressed his ears to the teen's chest, straining his ears for his heartbeat. There was nothing but absolute silence.

The tears welled up in his eyes and overflowed as he held his friend's head to his own chest, letting the sorrow overtake him. It was his fault. If he hadn't blabbed about the humans to Peridot, if he had made sure Lars was off the ship, if he hadn't encouraged Lars to take a stand against robots meant to kill gems...

Lars wasn't the bravest or even the nicest guy around. He spent more time worrying about what people thought and pretending to not care about anything than he did being his regular self. He pushed away people who cared for him, refused to look on the bright side, and was always ready to say something mean when he felt occasion called for it. The only reason he'd been on the ship in the first place was because he'd been too scared to help. By all accounts, he was a spineless jerk who didn't deserve friends.

But Steven knew the side of Lars he had rarely showed. The guy who had reciprocated his heart five, the guy who had shown many times how much he cared about him and Sadie, the guy who had just risked his lives to save the rejected gems and the half-human gem, was a true friend and someone he was sincerely glad to have in his life. Or had been glad, at least.

Steven could feel two tears roll down his face as he mourned his best male friend, mourned the guy who was more real with him than anyone else. And now he was gone forever. Dead before he even had a chance to live a full life. All because of his stupid actions. He bent his head down as the tears fell off his face and presumably landed on Lars' face, his eyes squeezed shut as he cried for his friend.

Then he heard a weird sound and opened his eyes to see the color pink spreading throughout Lars' body. Then he was moving, a scar now prominent over his right eye as he groaned and questioned what was happening.

After a quick moment to celebrate his return to life and to assure the teen that the slow heartbeat he was expelling meant he wasn't a zombie, they discovered an alternate way home. Through Lars' hair. After a quick trip, in which he grabbed some supplies for Lars and petted Lion, as he now realized what his pink color meant, he was back at the Homeworld Kindergarten with a surefire way to get back home. For everyone but Lars.

And then Lars had been willing to stay while letting all the other gems go to earth, to let them go somewhere where they could be free, where they could be themselves without the fear of being shattered. A truly selfless act, if Steven had ever seen one.

However, the off colors were unwilling to leave Lars to fend for himself in an unknown place, insisting they all stuck together no matter what. While Lars had excepted that, he'd been adamant that Steven leave for the earth right then and now.

While Steven had protested, not wanting to leave his newly-revived friend to the mercy of Homeworld, Lars had made a watertight argument. Including said argument, he pleaded that he be allowed to "be someone who deserved to come back to life." Steven knew he was right, that going back to earth was the best course of action for them all. But he was leaving one of his best friends, who he'd just lost. And he couldn't help but be worried whether the five of them would survive together or if this was the last time he'd see them all.

As he hugged Lars goodbye (which was initiated by the pink-skinned boy, by the way), Steven made a promise right then. He'd come back as many times as he had to and so whatever he had to do to help his friends get home. And after that...

Well, it was safe to say that after they get back to earth, the Crystal Gems were getting five new, truly extraordinary members. And they would all take Beach City by storm.

...

So, tell me if this deserves a second chapter or not.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: You've been asking for a second chapter, here it is. This is after the off colors and Lars get back to Earth. The long-awaited talk between Sadie and Lars. Possibly AU. For those who are wondering, this isn't a proceeding story. I may backtrack to before when they were still on Homeworld or do other things. Just consider theses ideas I thought of in the order of the chapters.**

 **Disclaimer: Don't own the Steven Universe franchise or characters.**

...

Taking a Chance at Redemption

Lars sat on the cliff in the sunshine overlooking Steven's house and the beach, legs tucked into his chest as he sat staring ahead at things only he could see. The water glittered below him and the ships that docked and moved out were gently sailing to whatever their designations was. He watched the activities happening on the ground, even as he heard small, careful footsteps behind him. Meanwhile, Sadie wasn't sure how to approach him now. Should she call out to him? Tap him delicately on the shoulder? Wait to be invited to sit next to him? She didn't know what to do.

When a pink portal had appeared on the broad walk besides the entrance to Funland that afternoon, the Crystal Gems were immediately called, attracting just about every citizen in town as well. The gems themselves were unsure how to proceed, seemingly uncertain of whether the portal was a threat or not. Then, they saw something come through it to their world.

The people around had instantly panicked as a giant caterpillar-like creature crawled through the entrance, her six eyes wide open and a serene smile on her face as she looked at the abundance of people there to greet her. Next, a four-armed lady with four eyes walked through, looking worried and slightly squeamish as she examined the new area. At this point the three gem ladies and Connie were preparing to attack, having seen potential threats coming into their city, when Steven had frantically stopped them, eyes glued to the portal as though waiting for more people. Or gems.

A second passed and a tall, two-headed gem walked through, loudly conversing with each other as they stood by the other interlopers. Then, finally, the last person came out before the portal closed behind him. Or, more accurately, them, as the said person was carrying a gem in their arms, this one small, red and wearing a ballroom gown. The person set her down and looked up, initiating a collective gasp from the crowd of people, herself included.

It was Lars, and yet... it wasn't. This Lars was pink, for one thing, with tattered and ripped clothes and a thin scar over his eye. But, apart from the way he looked, the way he held himself was almost different. He stood tall, meeting the reaction of the citizens of Beach City without so much as a flinch, despite the completely astonished expressions. His own expression was sturdy and serious, looking the very picture of a explorer or someone who crawled through a dangerous situation and was still standing.

Sadie felt a pound of fear settle in her stomach as she inspected this new Lars. This Lars was acting nothing like the Lars she knew before, neither was his appearance the same. Was this... a gem made to look like Lars? Was this Lars a fake?

Before she or anyone else could begin to demand answers, Steven's reaction beat them all to it. "Lars!" The half-human gem cried as he slammed into the newcomer, tears already sliding down his face as he hugged the pink one's waist with all he had. After that, it was a simple matter of Lars and Steven explaining he was in fact the Lars of Earth and then introducing the other gems, called Off Colors, who were a rejected group from Homeworld. With that out of the way, it questions came out.

Why was Lars pink? How'd they get a portal to Earth? Was he okay? Most of the questions were for Steven and Lars, Steven only hesitantly answered a selection of innocent questions. When asked about why Lars was so different or what happened on Homeworld, both boys would strangely grow quiet. And when it was time for the Off Colors to be questioned, more than once they were look to Lars on what to do, in which he would instantly jump in. Most inquiries, Lars would take over, ready to answer most of the questions and defend the new gems from any accusation from the Crystal Gems.

As she watched this new Lars at work, Sadie couldn't tell what exactly she was seeing. It had been about a month since the whole Steven gave himself up incident, as well as Lars' subsequent kidnapping, and she'd honestly thought that if Lars ever did come back, nothing much would change. Perhaps a few scratches and bruises that would heal eventually, but nothing more.

But this Lars, the one casually talking to Garnet despite her intimidating nature, was so unlike the one before. This Lars was a leader, someone willing to put his neck on the line for others and was doing everything he could to ensure his gem friends could and would have a good life on earth. And he wasn't even being rude about it! He was talking in an affirmative tone, but also in a leveled and respecting way. The old Lars would have been too worried for himself to put himself on the line like this.

After a while, the gems, Steven and Lars were getting ready to move to whatever place these Off Colors would stay, so the citizens were starting to disperse, going back to their daily routines. Just as Sadie was about to leave, slightly disappointed that Lars hadn't noticed her, their eyes locked. There was a small moment when they stared at each other, Lars looking at her as though he hadn't seen her in years. Then he gave a small smile and pointed to the cliff above. "Later?" he mouthed questionably.

Sadie gave a bright smile as she nodded. "Later." she confirmed, watching as he disappeared with his Off Color friends.

...

After an hour, in which she needlessly cleaned around the Big Donut and organized the displays, she headed to her predesignated meeting place to go see Lars. And now she stood there, indecisive of what to do. She suspected it was her nerves, unsure how she would personally perceive this new Lars or what he would think of her now.

Deciding to just jump in and see what happens, Sadie walked over and sat next to Lars, cross-legged, and eyes steadily focused on the horizon just like Lars was. She remained quiet despite her questions, figuring since Lars had just come back from this outer space journey and had called this meeting, she should let him speak first.

"How much did Steven tell you?" He asked at length, not looking at her as he spoke, "About what happened on Homeworld, I mean."

Sadie took a moment to think of what to say, "He said that you guys met some new friends who helped you survive. He also said that you were in trouble and he had to fix you. He told us there were side effects and that ultimately, it was because of you he was able to get home. We visited your parents, although I think he told more to them than to me after I left." She took a moment to study Lars as he contemplated all she revealed. It was silent for a time, Lars' face uncharacteristically somber and solemn.

Thinking of one of her more harmless questions, Sadie inquired, "So, who are your new friends? The... Off Colors, right?" It was then that Lars' expression became lighter as a gentle smile spread across his face.

"Yeah. Those guys are the best. Flourite is the caterpillar one. She's a combination of six gems. She's almost like a grandma, if anything else. She speaks kinda slow and seems a little too happy sometimes, but otherwise, she's cool. Padparadscha is the red gem I carried here. She's alright, really, but she's seems unaware of the world around her most of the time. She sees things that happen about five minutes after they actually happened. She kinda like the little sister you always have to watch out for, but can't help but care about anyway." The smile on Lars' face became a fond one as the pink boy thought of the little gem.

Trying to swallow the slight jealousy she felt at Lars' obvious affection towards the gem, Sadie quickly asked, "What about those other two? Or, three, I guess?"

Lars blinked at her question. "Oh, the two-headed gem is a Rutile. She's actually suppose to have just one head, but she came out like that. Most of the time, they talk more to each other than anyone else. Like the twin sisters who are closer than anything. They helped save me and Steven from the robonoids, and I know I could always rely on them when any of us are in trouble. And Rhodonite is a fusion, like Garnet. She's kinda a worrywart and more willing to look at a glass half-empty than the other way around, but me and Steven have been working to help her be more positive. It's taking a little time for them all to adjust to Earth, but I really think they'd be happy here."

Sadie could almost feel her head swirling from the onslaught of information. The way he talked about those gems... it was like he knew them for years. And he clear that within the month they've been in Homeworld together, the six of them had bonded astronomically, enough so that Lars could readily depend on them and vise versa. It's not just any group that can get Lars to look on the bright side.

"It sounds like you're all great friends," she concluded, feeling a stab of sadness. Once upon a time, it had been mostly her and Lars, even if he was scared of being seen with her. What did he need her for now, if he already had those guys he already felt comfortable enough to open up to. There was more quiet, this time laced with tension.

"Lars-"

"Sadie, I-"

They both stopped their sentences. Then Sadie forced an encouraging smile on her face. "Go ahead." Lars took a deep breath, finally turning to face her as he continued, "Sadie, I wanted to say I'm sorry."

Well, that was the last thing Sadie ever expected to hear. Like ever. When she had told Steven months ago that Lars never had and never would apologize to her, she meant it. He didn't say he was sorry when he tricked her into letting him go home early, or when he accused her of tricking him on the island. Or for the number of times he'd blown her off to either hang out with the "cool kids" or just because he didn't want the general public to know they hang out. So for him to suddenly just apologize like this, out of the blue and everything, was a huge shocker to her.

"For... for what?" She dazely asked, wondering if this whole day was just one weird dream. Lars sighed as he said a tad bit bitterly, "About not helping you on the ship. You were calling me, begging me to get you away from Topaz and I just ran away like a big coward. I let my fear get the best of me, and I'm sorry." Sadie wasn't sure how to respond to this unexpected talk.

"I had a lot of time to think while I was on Homeworld. About my life on Earth and what would happen when we got back. And I realized I actually had a lot of regrets. I took this time on Earth for granted, I took my parents for granted and I took you for granted. And I'm sorry for that too. I know it must have been frustrating most of the time, me being surly and evasive, the way I would disregard our friendship like it meant next to nothing to me. Honestly, I was just scared of what people would think. Not just about our friendship, but me in particular. I go around Beach City, pretending I don't care because I'm trying to hide the fact that I'm scared to stick up for me and the things I care about, afraid I'll be rejected and teased about the things I love. So I act the way I do so that at the end of the day, I can tell myself that they haven't actually rejected me, just the person I choose to be around other people." Lars explained, looking up at the blue sky intently.

"When we I was on Homeworld, I met the Off Colors who had to hide their whole lives, just like me. But instead of their images or self-esteem being on the line, it was their lives. They were considered wrong on their planet just because they weren't useful to the Diamonds or because they chose to do things that were unique to the way of life the gems were accustomed to. And it just made me realize how much I have a good thing on Earth and how I wanted them to have a chance to experience that. I wanted them to have a chance at happiness, while they still had that chance." Lars finished wistfully, looking at his pink hands with a small frown on his face. Sadie could practically feel alarm bells ringing in her head.

"Lars, what happened to you on Homeworld?" Sadie demanded. The spew of words and emotions were so unlike who Lars generally was. Something big must have happened to him and she wanted to know now!

She could see Lars unsure what to say, as though he was having a mental debate about whether to say what was on the tip of his tongue or just brush it up. She spoke up quickly, "I'm not kidding, Lars! Tell me what happened. No sugar coating, or I promise I'll throw you so far off this cliff, you'll-"

"I died, Sadie."

The blonde mouth snapped shut, looking flabbergasted as she openly stared with wide eyes at Lars, who was actively avoiding her glaze. Maybe she should have allowed just a little sugar coating. "What?" she choked out, feeling involuntary tears rolling down her face as she imagined that scenario: Lars laying on the ground, not breathing, unmoving, Steven and the others huddled over his body as they realized-

Sadie gave a pained gasp as she felt floods of pain, sadness, and angry flowing through her; angry she wasn't there for Lars, pain as she realized she lot her friend and sadness that-

"Sadie!" She started as she heard Lars' shout, surprised to see that somehow, while she was thinking, Lars had grabbed her shoulders, turned her to face him and moved till they were inches apart, all without her noticing. Lars seemed uncaring of how intimate the situation was as he spoke in a grave voice, "I didn't want to tell you like this. Or at all, really, because I know part of you would be mad and the other part would be sad. Sadie-"

"How?" Sadie interrupted, needing to know. "How did that happen?" After another moment of hesitation, Lars answered, "The robonoids, these robots that sense and attack gemstones, were targeting the Off Colors and Steven. They couldn't detect me because I'm just a human, so I decided to use that to my advantage. I jumped on the last one and caused it to blow up. Steven said... Steven said I crashed into two different boulders from the impact. I wasn't moving and my heart had stopped. Then Steven was crying and he said I started glowing pink all over and then, I was walking and talking like my death never happened."

Sadie nodded as he thought on that. "So Steven saved you?" A soft grin appeared on Lars' face. "Yeah. Steven saved me." Lars took a breath as he fixed her with a serious stare. "He gave me a second chance to do things right this time around. And while the six of us were dodging the robonoids and keeping each other alive, I've had a lot of time to think of what I wanted to change about myself and the way I lived my life. It's why I want to take this opportunity to say that you mean the world to me, Sadie. I honestly can't imagine my life without you in it. I know I don't really deserve it, but I want us to start over, to use this chance to better our relationship. That means I'm not going to be afraid to me seen with you or afraid to show you how I truly feel about you. Could we have that chance?" He asked shyly, a slight blush showing on his pink skin.

Sadie smiled as she looked at this reborn Lars. "Of course we can, Lars." She said, moving forward to hug him, in which he quickly reciprocated. After a few minutes to appreciate this moment and life in general, Sadie moved back, more questions on her tongue. "Wait, so you got pink skin when Steven revived you?"

Lars scratched the tip of his nose sheepishly. "Well, yeah. That and a few other things I can do now. We don't know the exact extent, Steven and the Crystal Gems are going to start testing me tomorrow, but that portal that showed up on the board walk? That was me."

Sadie gasped in astonishment. "Really? Is that how you managed to get Steven back to earth?"

Lars shook his head, "Oh, no. Actually, he traveled through some kinda dimension in my hair. He can explain it, because I don't think I understood what he said about it the first time honestly. Although, Steven said it was possible I would have the same powers and needs as his pink lion. It's also possible I won't need to eat or sleep, like I used to. Steven brought a sandwich some time ago and I only ate it last week because I didn't want it to spoil. The gems also said that because of the slowness of my heartbeat, there's a possibility my growth will be stunted or I'll grow a lot slower than other people, at least. They're doing the research as we speak."

Sadie felt a touch of fear at that revelation. Lars, not growing? Was he immortal? Would he stay sixteen forever, while she just grew and grew, until eventually he would be a fit teenager while she was an old maid using a wheelchair? If this was the case, how was Lars going to get through this, watching everyone die while he stayed the same? Would their friendship survive until the end or-?

"Sadie! Calm down!" Realizing she wasn't breathing, Sadie took a deep breath in and out, trying desperately to keep her heart rate normal despite her troubled thoughts. Turning to Lars, who was wearing a serious expression, she listened as he spoke again, "No one knows what will happen to me, Player Two. We only really have Steven's lion as a comparison, but he can't really answer any questions. But it's okay to be afraid of this. I know I am. Just know that no matter what happens, I will always be in your life. We'll be together always. I promise, Sadie. Just trust in that, okay?"

Sadie took a moment to scrutinize her pink friend. Lars' future was currently unknown and it was clear that he was just as worried as she was. But he wasn't running away from it or her. And that made all the difference. "Okay." She said softly, leaning against Lars' chest to listen to his slow heartbeat.

...

So, how was it? For those who were hoping for a kiss, I want you to know that I consider that too fact. Lars and Sadie's relationship is dysfunctional, at best, so by starting over, they're given a chance to have a healthier and less frustrating friendship. And maybe more. Review if there's something else you want to see here or tell me what you think of this second chapter.


	3. Chapter 3

A New Routine

 **A/N: Thank you for your kind words and critique regarding chapter 2 and my new followers. I hope you enjoy this little peek at the life Lars is living and his wonderings about himself. Enjoy!**

...

Lars reminded himself to remain quiet and still as he watched the light of the single robonoid from the huge, towering boulder he and his companions were crouched behind. He kept a steady eye on the threat, keeping Padparadscha pressed to his side to prevent her from wandering into danger unknowingly.

It had been about three day since Steven had left for Earth. Or, at least, that was how much time Lars had estimated had passed, seeing how there really wasn't a nighttime on Homeworld, only the shifting of the light in the sky from above, and he honestly wasn't sure how time actually passed here. Still, Flourite had confirmed he was close in his guess, so he just stuck with that.

Most of that time was spent moving through the Kindergarden, trying to find a new hiding spot for all of them, seeing as their old spot was compromised and most of the areas were too public and left them vulnerable. So far, this was the second robonoid that had threatened to expose them. The first, he had destroyed with a well-placed rock throw when it was successfully distracted by his undetectable presence, while this current one had no chance of finding them, so they had agreed to wait until it grew satisfied and went searching somewhere else.

Keeping the blaring light of the robonoid in his peripheral vision, Lars took a moment to check on his other friends. Rutile was huddled a few feet behind him, holding hands as they watched the light like a hawk, frantically whispering to each other in hushed voices. Rhodonite was covering her four eyes with both of her hands, visibly trembling as she heard the humming of the machine looking for them. Flourite actually seemed the calmest of the three, settled down comfortably as she serenely observed the section they were in, as full of the holes made by newborn gems as any other area of the Kindergarden.

And as for Padparadscha, she seemed more than happy to be at his side, a happy smile on her face as he remained vigilant in watching the robot. Since they've started traveling, she had always made sure to stay close to him. Whether it's because she genuinely enjoyed his company or because she just liked commenting on their close proximity every few moments was still a mystery, but Lars was happy that one of the gems liked him so much, that they wanted to stay close to him. He didn't really have any friends like that except Steven and Sadie.

Don't get Lars wrong, the whole group of Off Colors have clearly shown how much they approved of him and enjoyed his presence. They had verbally and physically show their affection, looking out for him as though he'd been with them since the beginning of their small fight for survival. Which, by the way, had been a lot easier than he thought it'd be. Partly due to the assurance that if they were in danger of being discovered, he could hide them with his gemless form, and partly because none of them needed to stop to eat or sleep or even catch their breath. Not even him.

He hadn't really noticed that particular fact, seeing as he spent most of the time focused on the area around him for signs of danger or other safe spots, but after awhile, he realized that he was supposed to be exhausted from trekking for so long or at least be hungry or thirsty enough to actually want to consume the food Steven had brought him previously. But he felt normal, as though he'd just eaten enough to keep his hunger at bay and just spent the day laying down on smooth grass on a moderately sunny day. He felt fine, despite the possibly destructive atmosphere and the unknown temperate of this place, that was how he felt. More than fine, actually, and that was worrisome.

He had suspected he was different now, in more than just his appearance since Steven had made that comment on his lion eating magic reptiles. Steven had talked of his lion before, most of which he ignored, but some things had registered enough for him to remember now. Such as that the giant cat was a magical being and had a dimension in his mane. Probably more abilities that not even Steven knew about, which didn't bode well for him.

What surprised him even more was the fact that he wasn't freaking out about any of this.

On earth, he'd been so afraid of the world and people around him, too fearful of being himself. But compared to his current situation, dealing with earth was a piece of cake. He was currently on an unknown alien planet, in some underground section full of ominous holes with a bunch of weird-looking fugitives, working hard to avoid detection from the enemy bots seeking out their destruction. He had died saving said friends, then been unexpectedly brought back to life, only to then discover he was not only pink, but also had a wide array of supernatural powers just waiting to be discovered. Not to mention the fact that he had no idea when or if all six of them can get to earth safely, meaning there was a high possibility he'd never see his parents again, or the Cool Kids, or the Big Donut, or Sadie...

Even worse, Steven, their only link to earth at this time, couldn't come very often and run the risk of being discovered and killed by those giant, angry ladies from before. They'd agreed he should at least visit from time to time, but that it was better for all parties if it was once in a while, and always with supplies they may or may not need. Normally, this would be the time where he'd be in a corner, rocking back and fourth while crying quite loudly for his mommy, as was his standard behavior in the face of danger.

But, for whatever reason, he wasn't panicking. He felt completely relaxed, like it was an ordinary day in Beach City. If he closed his eyes, he could almost fool himself into thinking he was back home...

All this reminiscing made him think about the people back on earth, especially those closely related to him. His mom and dad, who had always been supportive of him, but had never appreciated it when he should have. The Cool Kids-Sour Cream, Buck and Jenny- who he'd held on such a sturdy pedestal that he never gave himself a chance concerning them, who he spent most of his time acting too stiff or indifferent towards them. And Sadie, the best friend he ever had, the girl of his dreams, who he had frequently abused and taken for granted. Yet she was still nice to him, still liked him for who he is.

Lars tried to keep his thoughts away from Beach City and the inhabitants. It was important that he remain focused and not let himself get distracted by his regrets and sorrows. Besides, traveling with these ragtag group made up of combined twins, a giant caterpillar, a four-armed and -eyed worrywart and a psychic that only saw what had happened weren't so bad. If anything, Lars felt as though they were kindred spirits.

It had sincerely touched him when they had insisted that they couldn't leave unless he was coming to. Already, they had accepted him, seemed ready to follow him even, as though they saw him as someone worth listening to. It was amazing, being around people who understood and who he felt he could understand as well. Really, despite the unknowns and such, being on Homeworld wasn't so bad.

But still, his unnatural calmness pricked his curiosity. When Steven had brought him back, he had noted how he no longer felt sore or anything else remotely like pain. Like what Steven had done had been more than reviving him. Even when he was lamenting about his possible status as a zombie, he was a lot less hysterical about that theory than was normal for him.

Perhaps it was due to his transformation, or maybe it was because after the things he'd been through: being held captive by a giant yellow gem/gems, having a heart-to-heart while headed towards a xen planet, being put on display and insulted for some giant, temperamental ladies, falling and almost dying in some transportation device, evading a few dozen killer robots while accepting his fear, then straight up dying saving his new friends only to be brought back by one of his closest friends.

When you think of it, it takes someone with a lot of strength and guts to go what he was going through and still be somewhat okay and unperturbed. Maybe he was finally growing up.

"Human Lars!" he started as he looked down at the belated psychic who was smiling at him.

"Those robonoids are gone, although I don't think we'll be safe for long. Knowing the Diamonds, they'll send more of them to find us." Rhodonite moaned, nervously rubbing her four hands together.

"Don't... worry... I'm... sure... we'll... be... fine," Flourite comforted, getting to her feet as she spoke.

Lars smiled as he once again observed the dynamic of the Off Colors. The group he was now affiliated with. Perhaps it was this, the assurance that he would have these castaway gems who accepted him, in which he felt so comfortable with, that kept him arcadian and peaceful. They all fit together like puzzle pieces, alway meant to belong together. And he just knew he would survive the uncertainties with their help.

"Okay," he declared, standing up and grabbing Padparadscha's hand as moved past the boulder. "Let's get moving. We won't find a new place just staying here."

And the six of them set off, continuing their journey through the Kindergarden until they could get to Earth.

...

As always, would like feedback from you readers, even if it's negative. I would really like your honest opinion. Next, I will fulfill A Girl's request for a Steven and Connie talk. Until then ;)!


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Hello, followers, favorites and readers in general. Hope you're enjoying these stories I'm writing. Feel free to review with anything you'd like to see here and I'll do my best to live up to your expectations. Also, I have a few other stories, so if you enjoy Ninja Turtles, Star vs the Forces of Evil, Fairy Tail and Miraculous Ladybug, as well as a few other stories I hope to publish soon, please check them out and review them. Now here in the talk between Steven and Connie.**

...

True Selfishness

When Connie had been taken by Topaz, despite her initial anxiety over the matter, she knew that the gems and Steven would come for her, as well as the other four people being held captive with her. And a lot sooner than she had thought, the Crystal Gems had shown up, demanding the Homeworld gems to return them.

Then Steven had ended up kidnapped right with them, only for him to use his bubble to bust them out of Topaz's form, giving them a chance to fight and escape. But even as she tried to work with Steven to get out, she could see that he was unfocused, the guilt and stress evident on his face as he mumbled to himself about the situation being his fault.

Of course, then Alexandrite had grabbed the ship and for one moment, it looked like they were all going to get out of there. For one moment, it looked like they were going to win. Then, somehow, the Aquamarine had gotten all of them and then Steven had done the unthinkable to save them: he told them he was Rose Quartz. The very gem that had shattered Pink Diamond and was the leader of the rebels fighting for earth.

Despite the Crystal Gems' begging, despite her own pleads to him to not go through with this, he had still turned his back on them and went on the ship with Topaz and Aquamarine, only turning around to give them a look of pure sadness as he declared softly, "I love you." And then they were gone, disappearing in the blink of an eye as the ship went into space.

After that, the whole thing was a blur, from making sure everyone was okay, to realizing that one of the humans didn't get off the ship (The blonde girl, Sadie, seemed particularly upset about that), to telling Mr. Universe that his son had been taken to Homeworld where he would most likely be shattered for the death of a Diamond. She had been unable to stand the way the man had broken down, unable to assure him that Steven would be okay. Most likely, he would be destroyed and there was nothing any of them could do about it.

Several days had past, most of which was spent working with Peridot and the gems to fix the green hand drop ship that Jasper, Peridot and Lapis had come to earth on. Connie had called her parents, telling them the situation and how she was needed to help rescue Steven. The five of them (The Crystal Gems, Greg and herself) all had on brave faces, putting any and all emotions into their work so they could have a chance to save the half-human gem. But it was slow going, and they couldn't even get it to fly. Then, just as they came to get more supplies, Steven was back, looking completely okay, like he'd just came back from a stroll along the beach.

After they had all group-hugged, he'd explained all that happened on Homeworld. The almost escape on the ship, the trial in which the death of Pink Diamond could not be explained and where it seems as though one of the Diamonds had killed Pink Diamond rather than Rose Quartz, how he and Lars had befriended some "Off Colors" and worked to take down some gem-seeking robots sent by the Diamonds. How Lars had died saving them all and how he had unintentionally brought him back with his tears. That Lars was like Lion now, pink and with hair that held a dimension connected to the one in Lion's mane that allowed him to get to earth. And ultimately, the agreement between him and Lars, that he'd go to earth due to the huge target on his head on Homeworld, but he would travel back to help the six of them until they could all get to earth.

At the time following his summary of what he'd been up to for the past few days, the gems decided that he should take the night to rest and they would all talk about the current situation and what was the best action to take, tomorrow. So they had all retired to their beds, or in Mr. Universe's case, his van. Connie took the couch, having already gotten permission to stay over from her parents and she had fallen into an uneasy sleep.

After a small while of dozing, Connie's eyes snapped open as she heard the sound of the front door creaking closed. One glance at the clock told her it was only three in the morning, while another glance upward told her it was Steven who had left the house. Which worked well for her, considering she had a bone to pick with the half-gem.

After he had been taken, she had had to bury what she was feeling inside, so she could focus on what she needed to do. But now that Steven was back, safe and well, she could feel all the negative feelings come barreling through her veins. The hurt, the anger, the sadness, with just a touch of happiness, that was greatly overshadowed by the other emotions. And she refused to let another moment pass without alerting the source of her turmoil of what exactly he'd done to her.

Creeping from her bed, Connie slipped on her shoes and went out the screen door. After a moment of scrutinizing the horizon below, she saw Steven. He was sitting before the beach, far enough from the waves that it stopped a few inches from touching him. Taking a deep breath to at least give the illusion of calmness, Connie moved down the stairs to stand behind him. It was a few moments before he noticed her presence.

"Oh, hey Connie," he said, voice just as cheerful and normal as before, albeit slightly subdued. Feeling a flash of irritation at how unaffected he seemed, Connie quietly sat beside him, looking at the water before them. She could feel his gaze on her, but she pointedly glared ahead.

"You know, when I was on Homeworld, I noticed it was always kind of unnaturally sunny," Steven observed offhandedly, looking up at the sky as he talked, "it's like, after spending so much time there, I forgot what the stars looked like. It's nice to see them again." Connie was still silent, although she was gazing up at the sky as well, watching the stars intently.

There was a solid minute of awkward silence as Steven seemed to be waiting for her to say something. Anything. But she refused to indulge him, she refused to let him think everything was okay now. "Connie," Steven asked hesitantly after a while, "are you okay? You're very quiet."

And then she finally spoke, voice gradually getting louder and colder with each word that came out of her mouth, "Okay? You think after that stunt you pulled a few days ago, that I'm okay?! Let me tell you, Steven, I'm as far from okay as any person can get."

She heard the boy give a deep sigh as he caught unto her real feelings towards him at the moment. "Listen, Connie. I know you're probably mad that I gave myself up, but-"

"But what, Steven?!" She interrupted, practically yelling at this point as she turned to face him, "What could you possibly say right now that would make the choice you made acceptable in any way, shape or form?"

"Connie-"

But now that she had started, the words came pouring out, the heart-crushing emotions from the past few days fueling her little tirade, "Do you have any idea what you put us all through? What you put me through? I watched you walk away with some gem bounty hunters after admitting to being the gem that killed one of their beloved leaders! I spent days wondering what was happening to you over there, torturing myself with the horrible possibilities. I thought you might have been killed or worse! And now you dare to attempt to make small-talk like everything's normal?!"

"Connie, I-"

"I mean, how could you do that to me? From the beginning, you promised that whatever trouble we face, whatever battle may be ahead, we would face it together. You jumped down me and Pearl's throat for encouraging the whole self-sacrificing thing, and then first chance you got, you pulled the exact same thing! You didn't even think to fuse with me or to let me help in some other way! How could you ever think that giving yourself the way you did was a good idea?!"

"Because it was my fault!" Steven argued back vehemently, "I gave Homeworld a solid list of humans and they were snatching them all up. Because of what I did! And we barely held our own against Topaz and Aquamarine had you all in her wand beam, or whatever. There was no way we would have gotten away from that situation, so I made a smart decision to give myself up so that everyone I had inadvertently put in danger would be free. And it paid off! You all got away, mostly, and I'm back on earth, safe and sound. Doesn't that mean something?"

Connie frantically shook her head. "The ends don't justify the means, Steven. And you had no way of knowing this would have all worked out, so don't you dare act like it. You worried me, the gems and your dad unnecessarily, all because of your stupid hero complex!"

"Stupid?! You think me making sure everyone was safe, that you were safe, was stupid?!" Steven questioned incredulously, looking shockingly at her.

"That's all it ever is with you, Steven! You always have to save everyone. You can't go a day without either meddling into other people's affairs or trying so hard to fix someone else's problems. You were willing to take a punishment for your mom, Rose Quartz, only to realize she may not have even done the crime in the first place! Which would have meant you needlessly surrendered yourself for nothing! Which, by the way, not only makes you a hypocrite, but selfish too!"

"Selfish?! I did it to save you! To save all of you! It was my mistake and my mom that put everyone in deep trouble, so I did what I had to do to protect you all. Can't you understand that?" Steven voice was just as loud as her's at this point, but neither friends were willing to back down at this point.

"The way I see it, you were doing all you could to shield us from something you can't shield us from." Connie pointed out with a hard voice. "Maybe it's because of your supposed magical destiny or because your mom was some worshipped gem rebel leader, but you seem to think that it falls on you to make the tough choices and protect us from the dangers ahead. And you can't do that, Steven! You couldn't stop us from being kidnapped. You couldn't even stop Lars from dy-"

At this point, Steven gasped as he got the gist of what Connie had been trying to say. Then his face crumpled with pain before he turned to look out at the ocean, now the one refusing to make eye contact. Connie stop talking, realizing after a few moments of how she had crossed a line. While she was mad, and justified by her anger, throwing his mistakes and failures back at his face wasn't the way to go. Especially by reminding him of the actual death of one of his closest friends. "Steven, I'm-" she started, voice a tab bit more subdued as she tried to take back her thoughtless and somewhat heartless words.

Steven spoke before she could say anymore. "Do you know what it was like, giving myself up like that? It was so hard, knowing I would be treated like a criminal and have to face the consequences of my mom's actions. I was actually glad Lars was there, despite how I knew it was wrong to feel that way. Then when he was fighting the robonoids, I thought everything would be okay. That the two of us would make it out of Homeworld with nothing but bad memories and wounds that would eventually heal. But then that last one exploded and I-" And here, Steven's voice broke as his eyes glazed over, seeing things only he knew of. "He hit two rocks when he was falling down, Connie. And he wasn't moving at all. I went to him, hoping desperately that he was okay. When he still hadn't moved a muscle, I put my ear on his chest, exactly where his heart should be and-" Steven stopped talking abruptly, visibly struggling to keep talking despite how he looked like he wanted to cry from the phantom pains he was feeling from dark memories. It was awhile before he said something, in which he spent composing himself.

"Do you know what it was like, realizing there was nothing to hear? I strained my ears to find his heartbeat and found nothing. And I know I brought him back with my tears, but that doesn't change the fact that Lars had died saving me as well as the Off Colors and due to my mistakes. And I can't help but wonder, what would have happened if I hadn't cried on him? Would he still be dead? How would I begin to explain that to his parents, to Sadie? And ultimately, it would have been my fault. One of my best friends would have been dead because of me."

"It was so hard to leave him and the Off Colors in the Kindergarden, almost like I was abandoning them. They were in danger because the Diamonds were tracking me, and I basically left them to their doom. What kinda friend does that, leaving the people you care for to their fate?" Steven gave a deep sigh, "You don't understand how life is for me sometimes, Connie. I watch other people with their families, see you with your mom, and I'm reminded that's something I can never have. What's worse, my mom had supposedly killed someone, which was something I had to live with, and now I'm not sure what to think. Living up to her reputation, acting so happy and helpful all the time, it's hard sometimes. And maybe I do have some kind of hero complex, but that's only because the people in my life, they mean the world to me. I would do anything to ensure they're happy and safe. And maybe what I did was selfish. It may have been one of the most selfish decisions that was ever made in Beach City. But I would make that choice again in a heartbeat."

There was a deafening silence in the wake of Steven's revelations. "I'm sorry for hurting you, Connie, and I'm sorry I worried you so much. But you have to know that those are the kind of impossible decisions I'll have to make, and I will always choose what I think is right."

Connie took a moment to ponder on what Steven was saying. Admittedly, she had jumped the gun on her accusations. Listening to how sad and mature he sounded, she was reminded of the fact that despite the fact that he looked like a kid, Steven was a teenager. One who was forced to partake in a war started by his mom and who spent his time thinking of ways to save everyone but himself. And it was sad, realizing how much he put the world on his shoulders. He had so much burden to bear and he was forcing himself to go through it. It made her feel horrible for just focusing on her feelings and not on his.

Taking her own deep breath, she said softly, "I don't know if I can forgive you for what you did right now. I mean, you basically turned your back on everyone else and just did your own thing. And a part of me is still anger about that. But, you did these things to keep the city and people you care about safe. And I can't really begrudge you on that."

Slowly turning to face her, Steven hesitantly asked, "So, are we still friends?" After a moment, Connie answered, "Not right now. I need some time to process all this and I can't do that if I'm still hanging out with you. I just need a little break." Seeing his crestfallen face, she quickly added, "But know I still care about you and I promise I will forgive you soon. I'm also not abandoning you now. You'll need my help to rescue Lars and the Off Colors, and then to fight Homeworld. And know that I'll always be there for you, Steven."

Steven face slowly lite up as a smile graced his face. "Thanks, Connie." He said gently as they turned to watch the peaceful horizon in front of them together.

...

So, how was it? Tell me what you think, I would really appreciate some feedback. Now, about the next chapter, a guest has asked if I could do a chapter where the of colors meet the barn mates. And while I'll attempt said fanfiction, I'm not sure if I will be able to write said thing, so I will fulfill Belphy's request of when Steven tells people of his and Lars' adventure and status. I apologize, I will attempt the guest's request, but not right now. Until next chapter!


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Many thanks to everyone who has been with this story since it's first chapter. I want you all to know I appreciate your reviews and the fact that you've followed/favorited me. Even those who just read the fanfic (which was over 1200 views, by the way), I'm grateful for.**

 **Sorry for taking so long to update by the way, I got sick with this heart thing, then my temperature went up, THEN I basically lost my voice. Long story short, I spent a few days in the hospital with an IV and medications that made me even sicker being pumped into my veins and I have anemia. But here is an especially long chapter for Unfading Scars, so enjoy!**

...

Explanations and Reactions

Steven stood outside the Big Donut shop, close enough to see inside, but far enough that the sole inhabitant inside couldn't see him back.

Since he'd come back the previous day, he had known this time would come. Rationally, it was better for everyone involved that he get this over with already. But he hadn't realized how painful it would be to even start this transaction or how much the anticipation of others' reactions would solidify inside him and make him feel as though he had a gigantic lump in his throat.

Steven silently watched Sadie as she prepared to open the shop, her movements seemingly normal to anyone who didn't know her all that well. But Steven knew her, as well as the fact that she kept glancing beside her like she expected someone to be there or the fact that she had a sad look on her face she was struggling to compose while determinedly staring at the counter, meant she was definitely not okay. And that made this whole thing so much harder.

The gems and Connie had volunteered to come with him for emotional support or to help him with any assurances, but he had declined. If Steven was going to do this, he was going to man up and do it himself. He owed Lars that much, to look one of his closest friends in the eye and tell her what had happened. Taking a deep breath to psych himself up, he walked forward and opened the door to come inside, the standard ring announcing his presence to the blonde worker.

Watching as Sadie schooled her face to a forced smile, she turned to look up, "Hello, welcome to the Big Don-Steven?!" She gasped, finally realizing who was in front of her and looking at him as though he was a ghost. He shot her a small grin, hands in his pink jacket pocket as he replied, "Hey, Sadie!"

Then she was next to him, hugging him with every bit of strength she had. "You're back! I thought we'd never see you again, and the gems weren't really saying anything and-wait! How are you even here?! We all saw you get into that ship and we didn't realize until later that Lars never came out and I-hold on! Is Lars okay? Why isn't he here with you if-" Steven pushed Sadie back, abruptly putting an end to her rambling as he tried to find the best way to explain everything that took place on Homeworld.

"It's okay, Sadie. And so is Lars." He reassured the girl, who gave out a very exaggerated sigh of relief. "So, is he back too?"Sadie questioned urgently, an excited smile on her face as she looked at Steven expectantly. Steven hesitated for a moment, before he answered.

"Uh, no, he's still on Homeworld. But he's not alone," Steven added as he watched Sadie's face twist into an extremely anxious expression. "We met this group called the Off Colors, who are really nice, by the way. They're a group of gems unaccepted by Homeworld, so they've been in hiding to avoid being shattered. Lars and I met them in this huge Kindergarden and they promised to help Lars until I could go back there with supplies so they all can get to earth."

Sadie now looked more confused than worried. "I don't understand. How'd you get back to earth? And why do you sound like you can go back to the alien planet as easily as snapping your fingers?"

Steven sheepishly started scratching the back of his head. "Well, it's kinda a long story. But ultimately, it was because of Lars." Sadie's eyes widened as she looked at him in blatant disbelief. "What?!" "Yeah," Steven confirmed, a soft smile on his face as he looked out of the glass of the Big Donut to stare up at the sky. "Honestly, if it wasn't for Lars, we'd probably all be dead by now. Me and the Off Colors."

Sadie hesitantly asked, "Steven, why... why isn't Lars with you? If you found a way off Homeworld, why didn't Lars and your new friends follow you?" And then Sadie could visibly see how tense and solemn Steven suddenly got, frowning at the floor as he answered in a subdued voice, "Something... something happened to Lars that allowed me to go home, and other... side effects. But Lars couldn't take that same route. We tried and... there was just no way it was possible. So Lars had suggested we all go to earth and he'd stay on Homeworld. Probably for the rest of his life. He wanted the Off Colors to have a chance at a life where they were free to be themselves."

Sadie gasped at this revelation. Sadie knew Lars and how he usually was. Most often than not, he was insensitive and self-centered, more concerned with how things would affect him, than the alternative person. The Lars she knew wouldn't sacrifice himself like that. Yet that's what she was hearing, a Lars willing to let some rejected gems go to earth without them, so they could have a better life. Alarm bells where beginning to ring in her head as she recalled Steven's proclamation about "side effects".

"But they wouldn't go. They weren't willing to leave Lars all by himself to fend against the unfamiliar area and possible deadly machines sent after him. So they all decided to stay and find a way to get off the planet, together. Lars suggested I go, though, because all the gems on Homeworld were out to get me, so he said I should head to earth, where it was safe for me. We decided I would visit from time to time to give them whatever they may need." Steven summarized. Sadie took a moment to process what she had been told before she answered.

"But he's okay, right?" And then Steven was biting his lip, staring intently at the floor as he got lost in the thoughts of his head. "Steven, what aren't you telling me?"

Steven took a deep breath, his voice already cracking as he replied, "I'm sorry, Sadie. I can't tell you what happened, just yet. There was a moment... I mean, Lars was..." He took another deep breath, voice more composed as he continued, "What happened to Lars, to all of you, was my fault, Sadie. And I just... I need some time to deal with all this before I can actually talk about it. But Lars is fine. Actually... he was worried that you'd hate him now."

Sadie blinked uncomprehendingly. "What-why in world would he think that?!" Steven answered sadly, "Because he left you when you needed his help. He was just afraid. Honestly, this whole experience gave me a better understanding of Lars. And I know when he gets back, that he'll want to talk to you to clear the air."

Nodding dazely, Sadie thought for a moment. "I don't hate Lars. Yeah, it hurt that he didn't help, but after going through these past few days thinking he may be dead or worse... well, it just seemed silly to be angry about letting your fear get the best of you. I'm glad he's okay and I can't wait to meet your new friends." Then the blonde paused as something came to her. "Wait, did you come just to give me an update on you and Lars' status or did you need something?"

Steven began fiddling his fingers together, keeping his eyes on them as he said, "Well, both actually. I was hoping... I mean, would you help me..?"

"Yes?" Sadie encouraged gently.

After another deep breath, Steven looked up to maintain steady eye contact, face determined as he said, "I was hoping you'd go with me to visit Lars' parents."

...

The only time Sadie had had any sort of interaction with Mr and Mrs. Barriga was when Steven had unintentionally taken over Lars' consciousness. And though the moment was brief and overshadowed by the chaos that had happened when Lars was back in control, she had gotten the impression that they weren't necessarily bad people or parents. Honestly, they seemed like any other normal parents would be like or treat their offspring. At the very least, it was obvious they cared very much for Lars and his life, as well as his wellbeing.

Which is why she couldn't quite get why Steven needed her there to explain what happened to Lars, though she could sort of understand his anxiety. As unintentional as it was, it was ultimately Steven's mistake that had caused them all to be kidnapped and Lars to be taken to another planet. Adding to the fact that something had happened to Lars, most likely something bad if Steven's reactions and unwillingness to talk of it was anything to go by, it wasn't hard to see why Steven would want some support as he explained things to Lars' parents. And who better for support then someone else who cared for Lars as much as the other members of this upcoming meeting.

The two were currently in front of the door to Lars' house, waiting while fidgeting for one of the occupants inside to let them in. Steven looked beyond scared, beads of sweat already appearing on his forehead as he slightly shook in anticipation. Sadie gave his hand a quick squeeze as they heard footsteps headed towards their current location. And then the door swung open to reveal Martha Barriga, Lars' mother.

"Laramie, you're back! Oh, I knew you'd come hom-" Then there was a long pause as she got a good look at her guests and her postured shagged a bit as she schooled her face to hide her disappointment. "Oh, you're that boy and girl we met at that nice house by the beach. How are you?" Her voice was strained and the smile would have fooled them into thinking she was fine, if not for the obvious deep bags under her eyes. Sadie felt a stab of guilt as she observed the woman's current state. The minute the Crystal Gems and Connie had rushed to Steven's house, she had immediately went to her mom to assure her that she was okay, as did the other captives. She hadn't thought of how Lars' parents must have been feeling, hadn't even gone to explain what had happened to him, leaving the mother and father in a constant state of worry for their son's safety and to hope that everyone who knocks on the door was their missing Lars. With no load taken off their minds as they faced the unknown.

"Uh, hi Lars' mom." Steven greeted with blatant uncertainty, giving Sadie a sidelong glance of sadness as he continued, "We're fine, thanks. Actually, we wanted to see you and your husband, if it was okay. It's... it's about Lars."

Mrs. Barriga straightened up at the mention of her son, staring at them for a moment before letting them inside the house, closing the door gently and leading them to the living room, where Mr. Barriga sat, steadily searching through his newspaper as though trying to find something in particular, and looking about as bad as his wife.

"Martha, whose at the-" Then he noticed Steven. "Oh, you're the boy that was in my son's body. How do you do?"

Steven gave a week smile as he waved to the plump man. "I'm good, thanks." Dante gave a deep, somewhat forced chuckle as he proceeded to ask, "So, what brings you and this girl to our humble abode?"

Martha step forward, gently placing a hand on his right shoulder as she answered for the visitors. "Dante. They're here about Lars."

That seemed to be the magic words as the fake cheerfulness disappeared on the dark-skinned man's face, only to be replaced with a sober expression, looking as though he was prepared for the worse. They all moved to the kitchen table, Martha and Marvin sitting together holding each other's hand, while Sadie took the other side of the table. Steven was steadily avoiding the worried parents' gaze, unsure of how he should even begin to explain what the past few days on Homeworld had been like.

Martha started speaking before Steven could get a word out, "You know what happened to our Laramie? Because it's been a few days and we're really starting to worry. When he didn't show up one night after some gathering he was going to, we figured he was sleeping over. Then, when he didn't even show up the morning after, we worried he had run away again. But now, we're really becoming concerned about how he is. Is he okay? Was it something we did or-?"

The more the obviously worried mother talked, the lower both Steven and Sadie felt at not coming sooner. The regret of leaving them unknowing for so long was almost too much. Steven hastily interrupted Martha, "No, no, Lars is fine. In better condition than he should be, considering where he is." That was apparently the wrong way to put it, if the alarmed looks on the Barrigas' faces were anything to go by.

"Is he in the hospital? Or in jail? Where is he, and why didn't he come back with you?" Dante anxiously questioned. Steven took a nervous breath as he looked seriously at the Barrigas. "Lars is on another planet called Homeworld. And... it's cause of me."

Another that simplified explanation, it was just a matter of outlining how Lars and the other had gotten on the Diamonds' hit list and how the lackeys that were sent to Earth had been picking all of them, one by one. When it came time to talk about what happened when they had actually gotten to Homeworld, Sadie could see how choked up Steven was getting.

"Lars really helped me and the Off Colors. But then we were attacked by these robots and... well, then he..." After noticing that Steven was sending anxious glances in her direction, Sadie understood. Whatever had happened on that other planet had to be bad. Lars' parents had a right to know what took place, but right now, she didn't.

"You know what?" She said, getting to her feet and heading towards the door. "How about you guys continue talking and I'll get back to work? You can stop by afterwards, Steven."

After shooting her an extremely grateful and relieved look, Steven whispered, "Okay" as she closed the door behind her.

...

It was another hour before Sadie saw Steven again, and he looked both exhausted and like a huge weight had been lifted off his shoulders as he walked back into the Big Donut.

"How was it?" Sadie softly questioned the other teen. Steven gave a deep, melancholy sigh as he replied. "Well, they know what happened. They... they needed some time to process what happened, but otherwise, they seemed okay."

Sadie gave a thoughtful nod, then hesitantly asked, "So what now, Steven?"

Steven gave another deep sigh before he stood tall and said with determination, "This is my fault. Not just what happened to Lars, but that the Off Colors are in dangerous. So the least I can do for all of them is help them anyway I can. Because they need me, now more than ever." And Sadie couldn't help but note that he spoke like a true leader.

...

 **Sorry again for the unintentional hiatus. I hope this one-shot addition was good enough to make up for that. Will probably wait until the next episode of Steven Universe to work on another chapter, but if I get any other ideas or suggestions, I will do my best to continue this. Also working on some new fanfictions, so be on the lookout for updates and just ins.**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: I was rewatching the Steven Universe episode, Sadie's Song, and it just hit me that was a time when Lars and the Cool Kids were hanging out. So, I felt there should be a chapter where the Cool Kids see Lars and the Off Colors now that they're on earth. This section will be based on the sneak peek shown of Lars in the Stars. Will hopefully work on other one-shots later, but for now, will mostly work on my other stories. Got a few new stories planned as well. Laters!**

…

One of the only pros of Lars having been a million galaxies away from Earth was that Sadie had a chance to build stronger friendships with the Cool Kids. Sadie, or as she was nicknamed nowadays, "Donut Girl," had spent a lot of time with them when she wasn't too obsessed with worrying about Lars or working at the Big Donut by herself.

It was nice, indeed. While they all awaited Lars' return, Jenny, Buck, and Sour Cream did their best to comfort and distract her from the whole issue. Steven would come by at times too, the four of them dragging her to Funland or the arcade, depending on what the majority was in the mood for. Sadie mostly went along with it because she was honestly too sleepy to protest, but she still genuinely appreciated the effort.

Jenny herself was more than happy to help Sadie, as she could see the Big Donut worker was really missing her fellow employee. Perhaps she didn't get the relationship between the two, but it was evident to anyone that Sadie really cared for Lars. Enough so, that she was losing sleep after weeks of the teen being on another planet. So, she and her two best friends did their best to fill the void that was there in Lars' absence.

And then Lars was back, in a science fiction and magical way, along with other creatures that made Jenny wonder what the heck Lars had been up to on that Homeworld planet. He was not only sporting pink-colored skin but was rolling with a group of weird-looking creatures. From what Steven had explained to Sadie who in turn told the Cool Kids, these were the Off-Colors, the outcast gems that chose to stay with Lars rather than take a leisurely trip back to Earth. From the look of their slightly ragged appearance, it was evident the six of them had been through many unknown adventures.

So she and the other Cool Kids had decided to go with Sadie to Lars' house to get some answers. It had been agreed that the "Off Colors," or whatever they were called, would live outside of Lars' abode since they were used to being outside at all times and were more comfortable around the pink-skinned boy.

"Thanks for coming with me to see Lars, guys," Sadie said shyly, looking more than a little nervous. "I mean, Lars said the Off Colors were nice and all, but… well, I'd prefer if other people were with me when we all met."

Jenny dismissively waved her hand, saying Sadie's nickname to ease the blonde's mind. "No worries, Donut Girl. This'll be kind of cool, seeing Lars and his new alien friends." She could hear Buck and Sour Cream mumbling agreements behind her as they made their way to Lars' house.

Eventually, they came to the boy in question's house, which was a two-story house with an elegant and big backyard. It was a beautiful house, fit for at least five people and looked very well kept. The yellow, pentagon-shaped ship could be seen from the front of his yard, nestled in his spacious backyard.

" _This_ is where Lars' lives?" Jenny asked, surprised by how ordinary and quiet the place was. Considering how Lars acted sometimes, she thought he was living in the garbage or somewhere else that caused bitterness.

"Yeah," Sadie said, distracted as she peeked through one of the numerous windows to see if anyone was up and about. "We hang out here mostly. I've been here lots of times." The four of them crowded around Lars' door as Sadie began knocking on it.

"Lars, hey Lars! It's me." Sadie cried out loud. After a while of waiting patiently, the door slowly opened to reveal Lars in all his pink-colored glory. He was no longer clothed in the red and black pirate costume with a cape but was now dressed in his regular outfit, a white skull-embroidered black shirt, and skinny blue jeans.

He shot a small smile at his blonde friend. "Hey, Sadie." Lars drawled, then looked up in surprise when he realized she wasn't alone, "Oh, hey guys. How are you?"

Sour Cream shrugged. "Eh. Whatever. How was space?"

Lars gave a shrug in return. "Eventful."

Sadie quickly intervened. "Is this a bad time or can we come inside?"

"Oh yeah, come in. Just be quiet, my parents are sleeping for the first time in weeks, and I don't want to disturb the Off Colors." Lars moved aside to let the group in. Jenny took a moment to study the house since it was literally the first time she had ever been around Lars' home. The place seemed beautiful and spacious. The kitchen alone, where Lars eventually led them to, was warm like that of a loving home.

Lars stood standing while the four visitors sat at the table, all attention on Lars when he spoke again. "So, not that I'm not glad you guys are here, but what are you guys doing here?"

Sadie opened her mouth to explain, but Jenny quickly intervened. "Oh, come on, Lars. Is there something wrong with seeing how our friend who had recently returned from space was doing?"

Lars stared at the brown-haired teenage, an unreadable expression on his face. This surprised her, as generally, Lars had been quite open about what he was feeling, primarily when it was disdain. So that fact that he could now have a poker face made Jenny wonder what exactly had happened on his trip.

Sadie looked with a slightly nervous look on her face. "So, uh… Where are your other friends? You know, those "Off Colors"?" Here the pink-haired boy gently smiled a fond expression on his face now. "Oh, Steven and I managed to convince them to try sleep themselves. They spent most of their existence trying to stay alive so you can imagine they never got the chance to sleep before."

Buck spoke up then. "Wow, that must have been hard for them. Nice to know good kids like you and Steven are helping them adjust." Lars scratched his nose sheepishly at the compliment.

"Oh, were you sleeping when we showed up? I'm sorry, we wouldn't have come if we'd know." Sadie apologized, looking contrite.

"Oh, no, I wasn't sleeping. I, uh, I actually don't really need to sleep anymore." Lars explained awkwardly. Four pairs of eyes looked at him in shock at the revelation. Since the first time she had seen Lars after his trip, Jenny had been curious about what the pink skin had been about. She had noticed the same thing on Steven's lion, and he could do some crazy stuff. So… What could Lars do now?

"I could sleep if I wanted to," Lars quickly jumped to explain, a nervous smile on his face. "But it's not really necessary anymore. At least not for me."

"Oh." Sadie sounded subdued, shooting the Colors Kids a worried look before turning back to Lars. "Well, that's-"

Jenny jumped up, now desperate for answers. "Okay, I'm just gonna come out and address the pink elephant in the room. What the heck is with the new skin color?! How exactly did you meet four other gems?! Why are you so… so-!" The old Lars wouldn't act like this. This Lars was compassionate and shy, so unlike how harsh and brazened, he had been before.

"Unlike who I was before?" Jenny shut up as Lars finished her train of thought, taken back by the sober look on his face. They had never seen Lars look so serious before. Sadie tried to intervene. "Oh, that wasn't what she meant. She-"

But Jenny refused to back down now. "No, that's exactly what I meant. I don't see how you could have possibly changed so much in just a short while. You were arrogant and a lot of other negative things before you were taken to another planet. What could have possibly changed all that?"

There was a long and tense moment. Lars directly stared at Jenny, expression completely unreadable. Then he turned towards his cabinets, grabbing a mug and then heading towards his refrigerator.

"Would anyone like some juice?" The pink-skinned teen asked, holding up a carton of lemonade, seeming to take exceptional measures to not face the visiting group. Jenny felt both insulted and frustrated at that.

"Hey, Lars! I said-"

"I heard your questions," Lars answered calmly, pouring himself a generous glass of juice and taking a small sip as he turned around to face them, face still stoic. "But this isn't actually a good story, so I rather make myself more comfortable before I tell it."

Sadie shifted uncomfortably. "Lars, you know you don't have to tell us anything if you don't want to."

Lars shrugged, a small smile gracing his face as he looked at his oldest friend. "It's fine, Sadie. Besides, I know you're curious about my time on another planet too." Sadie hesitated a moment, then nodded to herself.

Lars leaned back against his kitchen counter, taking another drink before he continued. "To answer the questions you've brought up, the pink skin is because of Steven. It was necessary. The Off Colors saved us and stuck by me while I was on Homeworld. As to my attitude change, it was mostly due to being in the situation I was in. There was a real chance I would never see Earth again, and moving through the Homeworld Kindergarten wasn't easy. Not needing to eat or sleep was handy as well, especially when you're being hunted."

"What do you mean by "hunted"?" Came Buck Dewey's question.

"Well, first the Diamonds-there kind of like the rulers of the planet-sent these robot drones called the Robonoids to find us. They can detect the gems by honing in on their gemstone. As you can guess, they couldn't see me because of it, so I had to stay on the front lines in case they ever showed up. Then, there was the time when they sent real gems to find us. Aquamarines and Rubies. They were a little harder to avoid. Good thing Rubies are very gullible, or we would have never made it out of that situation." Here, Lars took a long sip of his drink, expression furrowed in thought.

"Then there was our first attempt to steal a ship. That didn't really go so well. In the long run, it was beneficial, but... Anyway, that's when we met Emerald."

"Oh, is that another friend?" Sadie questioned sweetly. The guests were slightly alarmed when Lars began to laugh almost hysterically. "Sorry, Sadie. I'm not laughing at you. Emerald was an enemy. She did everything she could to destroy us, ever since we outsmarted her by pretending to be imperial officers. I'm pretty sure she still cursing us right about now." There was a slightly awkward silence after that statement before Lars continued. "Anyway, then we managed to dress up as imperial soldiers and trick Emerald into giving us her ship, the Sun Incinerator." Here, Lars pointed to the yellow ship they could see outside his window.

"Sweet name." Sour Cream commented while Buck Dewey gave a casual nod. Lars gave another warm grin at that. "After that, we managed to take on Emerald and her lackeys, with Steve's help, of course. Then we ended up here, safe and sound."

Jenny couldn't help but frown at the somewhat anti-climatic story. The way Lars had explained it all made it all seem like a slightly minimal deal. Yet, she noticed that he kept an almost bruising grip on his cup and that his voice was subdued. His expression was that of someone very far away, seeing things that only he could see. And not everything he saw was good.

"Lars?" Jenny heard Sadie say in a concerned voice. The pink-skinned boy turned to look at them, the same expressionless look on his face as before. However, just as the blonde-haired girl was about to continue, they all heard an airy and high voice all of a sudden.

"Human Lars," The five people turned to see a short, red-haired girl with sandy hair that covered the area where her eyes would be and wearing a red ballroom dressed that shrouded her body from neck to feet. She was also wearing white gloves, where they could see a red gem on her right hand. "We have visitors. They seem like friends of yours."

There was a moment of complete quiet. Then Lars put his cup down, a big smile on his face as he moved to stand by the gem. "Thanks, Padparadscha."

"Uh," Everyone turned to see a nervous-looking, red-skinned gem with four arms and eyes hovering in the doorway. "I'm sorry. She got away before I could stop her. She saw a vision of you talking and wanted to warn you."

"It's okay, Rhodonite. You didn't interrupt anything. Are you guys done sleeping? Did you enjoy it?" Jenny almost couldn't fathom the understanding and warmth in Lars' voice as she addressed the gems. Had he ever spoke to any of them like that before his trip? From the slightly crushed look on Sadie's face, he hadn't.

"It was a nice experience. Flourite and Rutile woke up before us, but they didn't want to disturb your forks. Or you, you know, if you were busy." The fusion seemed fidgety, eyes darting to look at the visitors every few minutes.

"It's _folks_ , Rhodonite, my parents, I mean. And don't worry, you guys won't bother us. They can come out of the ship too if they want." The taller gem nodded before ambling back to the ship. It was a long while before the smaller gem followed her. It was even longer before anyone said anything.

"So… they those gem friends you and Steve met before?" Jenny questioned somewhat skeptically, staring at the ship. Lars nodded. "They're called Off Colors, generally categorized as the outcasts. They don't come out right, so the majority of their race considers them worthless and things better dead. Or, in their case, shattered."

Before Sadie or the Cool Kids could give any kind of response to that, they heard a hesitant voice from outside speak up. "Oh, hello." Almost immediately, someone else said. "It's nice to meet you." A red, two-headed figure appeared in the doorway, looking uncertain but apparently trying to mask it.

"This is Rutile." Lars introduced, smiling at the gem. The gems smiled back. "Flourite can't come inside," "She's too big for your place of refuge."

"Oh, it's fine. We'll go out to meet her. Come on, guys." And then Lars was out of the house and on the ship, the Rutile gem right behind him. After sharing yet another look with each other, Sadie and the Cool Kids made their way after the two.

When Jenny saw inside the ship, she was somewhat amazed. It was not only enormous, but it was also green all over. There were seats and control panels, as well as stairs to some underground place. "Wow, this is almost like the ship we were all dragged into," Sadie said faintly.

"Hey, guys! Flourite will be up in a few. She tends to stay near the engine room. It's her favorite part of the ship." The human visitors turned to see Lars coming out of the hatch at the bottom, a comfortable look on his face.

Not long after he appeared, they could see a white-haired gem emerged out of the hatch after him. She was giant and shaped like a caterpillar, a satisfied grin on her face. "Good…day…It's…wonderful…to…meet…more…friends."

"Does she always talk like that?" Jenny questioned cooly, trying to hide how somewhat freaked she was by the Off Colors. Lars nodded, leaning back against the wall. "Yeah. I haven't really figured out why yet, but it doesn't really matter that much to me. It's part of who she is, and I like that."

Jenny could see a smile on Sadie's face as she moved forward to greet the gems, confident in the front of Lars' acceptance of them. As she distantly watched her two other friends welcome the Off Colors, Jenny couldn't help but study Lars as he interacted with them. Who he had been before was a massive jerk at worse, a seriously okay guy at best. They had hung out, but Jenny wouldn't claim they were friends. Not just because of how Lars acted, but because it was apparent that Lars was putting walls between them. Like he was afraid to be himself around them.

Yet, from the short while he had been around these outcast gems, he had become compassionate and caring, someone you could depend on to be there for you. Someone the Off Colors clearly cared very much about and wanted in their lives. And it seems as though, with his new adventure, he had found people who could better relate to his new… pink condition.

Just then, the pizza girl felt a slight tug on her pants, looked down to see the little gem from before. Padparadscha. "Human Jenny, Human Lars has been calling you. He would like you to meet us and become friends."

Jenny looked up to see everyone staring at her expectantly, Lars' face sticking out in particular, as he looked nervous and excited. Like he genuinely wanted them all to be friends, despite the race difference between them all. Something else the other Lars would not have wanted. So, with a thick breathe, the pizza girl moved forward, ready to embrace this new Lars and his outer space friends.

…

 **A/N: Just so we're clear, I've been working on this for about a month before I saw the trailer for the November 10** **th** **episodes, so this is all my original idea for Steven Universe. College has been bringing me down, but like I've said before, will do my best to work on my stories as well as my college school work. Please, tell me what you think and favorite/follow me.**


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